Monstera Not Developing Holes (Fenestrations) — The Real Reasons
Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)
Symptoms
- no holes in leaves
- solid leaves
- no fenestrations
- leaves without splits
- new leaves without holes
- small leaves
Causes
Plant is too young
This is the most common and most misunderstood cause. Monstera deliciosa does not produce fenestrated leaves until it reaches a certain level of maturity, regardless of care quality. Young plants sold in small pots often have solid, heart-shaped juvenile leaves — this is normal and developmental, not a care failure. As the plant ages and produces larger leaves, fenestrations appear naturally. A plant in a four-inch pot producing small solid leaves is almost certainly just a juvenile specimen.
Insufficient light
Light is the primary environmental trigger for fenestration in mature plants. The leading hypothesis among botanists is that holes in Monstera leaves evolved to allow lower leaves and parts of the same leaf to receive light that would otherwise be blocked — an adaptation that makes sense in a forest canopy environment. Indoors, insufficient light is the most fixable cause of non-fenestrated leaves on a plant old enough to produce holes. A Monstera producing solid leaves in a dim corner will typically begin fenestrating when moved to a brighter location.
Not climbing or supported vertically
In nature, Monstera produces its largest, most deeply fenestrated leaves when climbing. Research has shown that climbing Monstera specimens produce significantly larger leaves with more complex fenestration than the same plant trailing or growing horizontally. A moss pole or other vertical support encourages this mature, climbing growth habit and can trigger more dramatic leaf development.
Nutritional deficiency
A plant depleted of key nutrients — particularly nitrogen and potassium — produces smaller, less developed leaves. While deficiency alone won't prevent fenestration in a mature, well-lit plant, it can reduce the size and complexity of fenestrations when combined with other limiting factors.
How to Fix It
- 1
First, assess your plant's age and size. If it has fewer than five or six leaves total, or if all its leaves are smaller than six inches, it is likely a juvenile plant and no intervention will produce fenestrations — patience is the only answer.
- 2
Move the plant to the brightest indirect light position available. Ideally within two to four feet of a south or west window, shielded by a sheer curtain from direct rays, or in an unobstructed north window. Measure light with a lux meter app on your phone — Monstera benefits from 2,000–5,000 lux.
- 3
Install a moss pole or totem and train the aerial roots to attach to it. As the plant climbs and grows upward rather than outward, the leaves that emerge tend to be larger and more fenestrated. Train new growth stems against the pole with soft plant ties while they're flexible.
- 4
Resume or begin a monthly fertilizing schedule during the growing season (spring through early autumn) with a balanced liquid fertilizer. This ensures nutritional resources are available when the plant produces new, potentially fenestrated leaves.
Prevention
- Purchase Monstera from a reputable seller with a plant that has already begun to show at least some fenestration on its larger leaves, confirming it's past the juvenile stage
- Provide a vertical growing surface (moss pole, coir totem) from early in the plant's life to encourage climbing behavior
- Maintain bright indirect light throughout the year, not just in summer
- Fertilize consistently during the growing season to support robust leaf development
Quick Summary
| Plant | Monstera (Monstera deliciosa) |
|---|---|
| Category | Light |
| Likely causes | Plant is too young, Insufficient light, Not climbing or supported vertically, Nutritional deficiency |
| Fix steps | 4 steps — see above |